Sutera plant named ‘DCOPGRAZUR’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Sutera cultivar named ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ is disclosed, characterized by early and abundant flowering, extra-large violet-blue single flowers with a violet center halo, medium plant vigor and a semi-trailing growth habit. The new variety is a Sutera, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Sutera cordata.

Variety denomination: ‘DCOPGRAZUR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Sutera cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Sutera varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The open pollination resulting in this new variety was made during October of 2011.

The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietary variety referred to as Sutera ‘cv. 11-1972’. The pollen parent is unknown as it was an open pollination breeding program. The new variety was discovered in May of 2012 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2010 open pollination, in a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by terminal vegetative cuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel in May of 2012 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in more than 20 successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ as a new and distinct Sutera cultivar:

-   -   1. Semi-trailing growth habit.     -   2. Extra-large, violet flowers with a purple center halo.     -   3. Moderately branched.     -   4. Early, abundant flowering.     -   5. Medium vigor.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ are similar to plants of the seed parent, Sutera ‘cv. 11-1972’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Plant habit of the new variety is mounded. The parent habit         is semi-trailing.     -   2. The new variety has larger, darker flowers than the parent.     -   3. The new variety flowers more abundantly than the parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ are comparable to the unpatented commercial variety Sutera ‘DANCOP30’. The two Sutera varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Comparison variety has large, blue flowers, whereas new         variety has extra-large, violet flowers with a purple center         halo.     -   2. Comparison variety is very well branched whereas new variety         is less well branched.     -   3. Comparison and new varieties have a medium vigor.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ can also be comparable to the patented commercial variety ‘DANCOP102’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,521. The two Sutera varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Comparison variety has extra-large, white flowers whereas new         variety has extra-large, violet flowers with a purple center         halo.     -   2. Comparison variety has longer branches than new variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ grown in a greenhouse, in a 13 cm pot. Age of the plant photographed is approximately 3 months old from a rooted cutting.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close up of a typical flower.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Mini Colour Chart 2005 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ plants grown in the Winter to Spring in moderate climate in a greenhouse, in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The growing temperature ranged from 15° C. to 26° C. during the day and from 13° C. to 16° C. during the night. General light conditions are normal sunlight and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Sutera cordata ‘DCOPGRAZUR’.

PROPAGATION

-   Type of propagation typically used: Terminal vegetative cuttings. -   Time to initiate roots: 7 to 10 days at approximately 20° C. -   Root description: Fine, fibrous roots. Light tan in color, not     accurately measured with R.H.S. chart.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: Approximately 3 months from rooted cutting. -   Container size of the plant described: 13 cm. -   Growth habit: Semi-trailing. -   Height: Approximately 24 cm. -   Plant spread: Approximately 50 cm. -   Growth rate: Medium. -   Branching characteristics:     -   -   Length of primary lateral branches.—About 25 cm.         -   Diameter of lateral branches.—About 0.2 cm.         -   Quantity of primary lateral branches.—About 8. -   Characteristics of primary lateral branches:     -   -   Form.—Cylindrical.         -   Diameter.—About 0.3 cm.         -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 144 B.         -   Texture.—Velvety.         -   Strength.—Good. -   Internode length: About 2 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, petiolate.         -   Quantity.—Approximately 60 per branch.         -   Average length.—2.5 cm.         -   Average width.—2.0 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Serrate. Depth of serration: Medium.         -   Texture of top surface.—Velvety.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Velvety.         -   Pubescence.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Aspect.—About 90° to the branch.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 137 B. Young             foliage under side: RHS Green 137 C. Mature foliage upper             side: RHS Green 137 A Mature foliage under side: RHS Green             137 B.         -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: RHS             Green 137 B. Venation color under side: RHS Green 137 C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 0.5 cm. Diameter: About 0.2 cm.             Color: RHS Green 137 C.         -   Texture.—Slightly velvety.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: All year round. -   Days to flowering from rooted cutting: About 45. -   Inflorescence and flower type and habit: Axillary, solitary,     salverform single flowers. -   Rate of flower opening: 3 to 5 days from bud to fully opened flower. -   Flower longevity on plant: About 7 days. -   Persistent or self-cleaning: Persistent. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Length.—About 1 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 0.5 cm.         -   Color.—RHS Violet N88 C. -   Flower size:     -   -   Diameter.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Length.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Corolla tube diameter.—About 0.4 cm. -   Corolla/petals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Symmetric.         -   Lobe length.—About 0.8 cm.         -   Lobe width.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Quantity.—5.         -   Texture.—Velvety.         -   Lobe apex.—Rounded.         -   Lobe shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Aspect.—About 90° to the tube. -   Color:     -   -   When opening.—Upper surface: RHS Violet N88 B, center halo             Purple N78 A. Thin inner halo near White N155 B. Visible             Corolla throat near Yellow-Orange 15 A. Lower surface: RHS             Violet N88 C.         -   Fully opened.—Upper surface: RHS Violet N87 B, center halo             Purple N78 B. Inner halo near White N155 B. Visible Corolla             throat near Yellow-Orange 15 A. Lower surface: RHS Violet             N88 C.         -   Visible inner corolla tube color.—RHS Yellow-Orange 15 A. -   Calyx/sepals:     -   -   Quantity per flower.—5.         -   Shape.—Linear.         -   Length.—About 0.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 0.1 cm.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Slightly velvety.         -   Color.—Upper Surface: RHS Green 137 C. Lower Surface: RHS             Green 137 C. -   Peduncle: None. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 0.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 0.1 cm.         -   Color.—Near RHS Green 137 D.         -   Orientation.—Slanted upward and outward.         -   Pubescence.—Slightly pubescent. -   Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—4.         -   Filament length.—Approximately 1.2 cm. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Cylindrical.         -   Length.—Approximately 0.2 cm.         -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Orange 15 B.         -   Pollen.—Color: RHS Yellow-Orange 15 A. Quantity: Sparse. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Style.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Color: RHS Yellow Green-145 B.         -   Stigma.—Shape: Undulate. Color: RHS Yellow Green-146 C.             Ovary Color: RHS Yellow-Green 146 C.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds and fruits: About 30 elliptic, small (1 mm long) brown seeds     per one elliptic brown capsule. Seeds too small for accurate     measurement with R.H.S. chart. Capsule color varies from tan to     medium brown with age, near Grey-Brown 199A when just mature to 199D     with age. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     pathogens and pests common to Sutera have been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: The new variety tolerates temperatures     between 5 to 40° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named ‘DCOPGRAZUR’ as herein illustrated and described. 